Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Panthers 1 win away, Messi tie, U.S. Open, Durant, Fins culture-reboot

Miami Herald

15-06-2025

GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 15): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Happy Father's Day my fellow padres! Our Sunday Hot Button Top 10 notes column brings you what's on our minds, locally and nationally but from a Miami perspective and accentuating stuff that's big, weird, damnable, funny or otherwise worth needling as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. Welcome to the 107th edition of your HB10:
1. PANTHERS: Marchand lifts Cats one win from second straight Stanley Cup: Brad Marchand's two goals sparked Saturday night's 5-2 Game 5 win in Edmonton for a 3-2 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final -- and a chance to win the Cup on home ice Tuesday night ... or face a Game 7 in Edmonton. Marchand became the first Marchand player in NHL history to score at least five goals in two separate Stanley Cup Finals with two different teams. He also scred five goals in seven games for Boston in 2011 to beat Vancouver. Asked what the 2011 Marchand would think of this Marchand still doing it at 37, he said, 'Man, that guy's good-looking. That'd probably be it. Sometimes you get bounces, sometimes you don't.'
2. INTER MIAMI: Team Messi settles for tie as FIFA Club World Cup begins: Inter Miami and Lionel Messi settled for a 0-0 draw with Egyptian power Al Ahly on Saturday night, with goalkeeper Oscar Ustari saving Miami from an embarrassing defeat. A near-sellout crowd of just over 60,000 filled Hard Rock Stadium as thousands of tickets were sold cheap to pad attendance amid fears of U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) presence at games and threat of arrests of immigrant fans Up next in Cup group play, Inter Miami will m set to take on Portugal's Porto FC in Atlanta this coming Thursday afternoon.
3. GOLF: OAKMONT WINNING U.S. OPEN AS PLAYERS STRUGGLE: Sam Burns at 4 under par leads J.J. Spaun and Adam Scott by one shot each entering Sunday's final round of a U.S. open in which only four golfers have beaten par on the difficult Oakmont course in western Pennsylvania. Burns and Spaun are after their first career major win. Scott won the 2013 Masters but has not won a major since. Pre-tournament betting favorite Scottie Scheffler is tied for 11th at plus 4, eight shots back. Sunday miracle, anyone?
4. NBA: Indy Thunder-struck by SGA; OKC back in Finals command: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bucketed 35 points to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder into a 2-2 NBA Finals tie with the Indiana Pacers. OKC, favored going in, now seems back in control, with Game 5 Monday night and a Game 7, if needed, both in the Sooner State. Thunder is now a clear Finals fave at -590 via FanDuel and -450 at DraftKings. Both have SGA out front as Finals MVP.
5. SOCCER: 1 year 'til World Cup, woes mount for U.S., Pochettino: One-year countdown is on for '26 FIFA World Cup being hosted by U.S., Canada and Mexico. Team USA is in automatically as host, but USMNT is mired in four-game losing streak under new coach Mauricio Pochettino and was booed off the field in Nashville after a 4-0 friendly loss to Switzerland in a last tuneup for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is underway at 12 U.S. stadiums and in Vancouver. Desperate for a good show, U.S. opens today (Sunday evening) vs. Trinidad & Tobago -- but sans several stars including Christian Pulisic who are regrettably not competing in the Gold Cup. Pulisic was blistered for a recent social media post that said, 'Just what the doctor ordered' as he enjoyed a family vacation.
6. HEAT: Will fourth time be a charm for Miami and Durant?: Pat Riley has tried (and tried, and tried) to acquire Kevin Durant over the years, and try No. 4 may be in works as rebuilding Phoenix shops its aging superstar. Durant turns 37 in September but averaged 26.6 points this season in a LeBron-esque defiance of time. And ESPN reported Saturday night that K.D.'s preferred trade destinations are Miami, San Antonio and Houston, the order not given. The Spurs are the betting favorite to land him.
7. DOLPHINS: Fins tout new and improved 'culture' as offseason wraps: Miami's three-day minicamp this past week put a bow on offseason work, now the countdown begins to the start of full preseason training camp expected the week of July 21. Coach Mike McDaniel's minicamp messaging hit hard on the notion of a new and improved Dolphins 'culture' ... a de facto admission that said culture had eroded across his first three seasons in charge.
8. NFL: Latest trouble in the troubled life of Antonio Brown: A too-long list of legal, domestic and financial issues dogged Miami-born former star receiver Antonio Brown in an NFL career that ended in 2021. Now, nearing his 37th birthday, Brown faces his biggest trouble yet. Miami police have issued a warrant for his arrest on a charge of second-degree attempted murder with a firearm after a May shooting at a celebrity boxing event. Brown reportedly is out of the country in the Asia or the Middle East. Videos posted on social media appear to show Brown being jumped by trying to steal his jewelry. Stay tuned.
9. WNBA: Caitlin does Caitlin things in return from injury: Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark returned from a five-game injury absence Saturday with 32 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds in a 102-88 win over the previously-unbeaten New York Liberty. She hit seven 3's. Clark had not played since May 24 as her team (and TV ratings) sagged without her. 'Don't we always expect that kind of game from Caitlin?' said Indiana coach Stephanie White. 'I knew her adrenaline was going to be high to start. She's been itching to get back out there.'
10. MARLINS: Fish en fuego, seek season-long win streak!: Low-spending Miami is on a two-game win streak to hoist the season record to 27-41 entering today's game at Washington before returning home for seven vs. the NL East rival Phillies and Braves The Marlins' only better streak all season was a three-game run April 20-22. Let's make a deal: If Fish win a third straight today, they return home to a less-than-pitiful crowd. Let's go!
THE LIST: GOLFERS WITH MOST U.S. OPEN WINS: Twenty-three men have won multiple U.S. Open titles. The only six with three or more crowns:
No. Player Years won
4 Willie Anderson 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905
4 Bobby Jones 1923, 1926, 1929, 1930
4 Ben Hogan 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953
4 Jack Nicklaus 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980
3 Hale Irwin 1974, 1979, 1990
3 Tiger Woods 2000, 2002, 2008
Note: Two-time winners in this week's U.S. Open field were Brooks Koepka (2017, 2018) and Bryson DeChambeau (2020, 2024). Koepka is nine shots back entering Sunday. DeChambeau missed the cut.
Other select most recent stuff from me: Panthers one win from repeat Stanley Cup as Marchand shines again or 3-2 series lead // Panthers blow lead, command of Final as Edmonton's 5-4 OT win ties series // Panthers crush Edmonton 6-1 for 2-1 Final lead. Is McDavid's dream slipping? // Previous HB 10 // Poll Dance: Favorite South Florida team // Hated to hero: Marchand's Panthers goal in second OT beats Edmonton 5-4, ties Stanley Cup Final // Road magic fails Panthers in 4-3 OT loss to open Stanley Cup Final rematch // Stanley Cup preview: On Connor 'McOverrated,' dream Cup rematch, Panthers as face of changed NHL // Florida Panthers oust Carolina in five, reach 3rd straight Stanley Cup Final // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // Game 7 magic as Panthers rout Toronto 6-2, reach 3rd straight East finals // Panthers' 4-1 ouster of Tampa declares intent, and ability, to repeat as champs // Giannis? Durant? Embarrassed Heat need major help after 55-point loss and playoff sweep // Our 34th annual Official Herald NFL Mock Draft // Miami Dolphins should be fed up with Tyreek Hill, but team is too desperate to trade him // LeBron vs. Michael, now Ovechkin-Gretzky. Our obsession with ranking greatness // NCAAs crescendo with exciting Final Fours, but college basketball is broken. Let's fix it // To owner Bruce Sherman of low-hope Marlins: Spend more on payroll, or sell team // Dolphins' 18-month decline, quiet offseason heap pressure on Tua, coach, GM in '25 // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // Must-win MLS season for Messi, Inter Miami a tough climb, as opening 2-2 home draw shows // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is the life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // Unprofessional Jimmy Butler quit on Heat, ruined his legacy in Miami // And my latest podcast: